﻿EMPOWER YOUR HEART.

﻿EMPOWER YOUR HEART

Summer has arrived – with a vengeance – so it’s time to consciously bring some empathy and empowerment to your Heart meridian. The Heart is supported by the other three Fire meridians: Small Intestine, Heart Protector & Triple Heater. It is known as the “Queen of the System” (i.e. your system) and “home of the spirit” (i.e. your spirit). It is the principal energy channel of the season. This means that investing in your Heart energy is really a very good idea and this is a very good time to do it.

How to start? Get in touch with your HEART

Start
simple. Start do-able. Start by just getting in touch with your Heart and Fire energy
via Masunaga’s MAKKO HO:
Zen Stretch for the Heart and Small Intestine, Fire meridians #1
& #2. The Heart is the seat of our compassion and the Small Intestine, its Yang
partner, the source of our strength and power. They are a fabulous combo!

As with all the MAKKO HO, the focus is on opening and tonifying the meridian pair to facilitate the movement of KI energy. Be gentle and non-judgmental with yourself. Physical strength per se is really not so important here. So, be prepared to avoid any forcing and concentrate on the breathing and on your awareness of how you are feeling during each stretch. Be sensitive to any changes you might experience – physical, mental &/or emotional – as you progress through the exercise.

Heart & Small Intestine MAKKO HO …

Let’s prepare

Sit with the soles of the feet against each other. Take particular care that the heel pads are touching – or even pressed slightly together – and that the feet are pulled in towards you.

Relax the legs to allow the knees to lower. Clasp the feet with both hands. Make sure to engage the pinky fingers as you maintain a very gentle pull on the outside edges of the feet.

Let’s go

Hold the back – including the neck – long and straight. But don’t allow yourself to become rigid.